PTL Honorees

Paschall Truck Lines recently named Juventino Cortez, Jr., of Los Fresnos, Texas, as its Driver of the Month for February 2002.

Cortez has been with the company for four years, and he has earned the 700,000 Mile Safe Driving Award for excellence in safety.

PTL also named Lanis Lambirth, of Henning, Tenn., as the company’s Owner-Operator of the Month for February 2002.

Lambirth has been with PTL for three years and has earned the 300,000 Mile Safe Driving Award for excellence in safety.

East West Salutes Drivers
East West Motor Express Inc., a subsidiary of Smithway Motor Express, recently honored its drivers for 2001. Mark Arehart was Company Driver of the Year. Owner-Operator of the Year went to both Jerry Henrichsen and Kelly Evans. Steve and Diane Clifford won Owner-Operator Team of the Year, and Ron and Ella Wilcox were named Owner-Operator Team Drivers of the Year. Richard Morris and Misty Ackerman won Company Team of the Year.

KAT Award
KAT Inc., named Richard Workman of Englewood, Ohio, as its Driver of the Year for 2001. He became a Million Miler for Safe Driving in 2000 and also was recognized for nine years of safe driving in September 2001.

WTA Drivers
Bud Mullendore, a driver for Macy’s Service in Jackson, Wy., was named the Wyoming Trucking Association’s 2001 Driver of the Year. Mullendore has been with Macy’s for 13 years and has no accidents or violations on his record.

The trucking association also honored Dorman Ewing, a driver with Saratoga Corp, with the Pioneer Award. Ewing’s career spans 56 years and he has approximately 2 million miles of safe driving with no accidents or violations.

Contractor of the Year
Dart Transit Company’s Dallas Operating Center selected John Cooksey as Contractor of the Year for 2001. Cooksey has been with Dart for 11 years, logged more than 1 million accident-free miles and recorded 100 percent on-time performance.

He received a trophy, a monogrammed shirt, hat, leather jacket, and $1,000 check for his accomplishment.

Three-time Honoree Gets New Truck
Buske Lines Inc. owner, Tom Buske presents the keys of a 2002 Ford Ranger 4×4 pickup truck to the company’s three-time Driver of the Year, Charlie Wells. Wells, who has been with Buske since 1988, works as a company driver and has received this honor in 1993, 1994 and most recently in 2001.

CFI Drivers of The Month
Contract Freighters Inc. recently named its April 2002 drivers of the month.

Company Driver of the Month was Gene Dollar of Crystal City, Texas, who joined CFI in 1978. Company Team Driver of the Month was awarded to Bob and Beverly Man of Henderson, Nev., who joined CFI four years ago.

Contractor of the Month was Arturo Grado of El Paso, Texas, who joined CFI 13 years ago. Contractor Team of the Month was Fred and Louise Spires of Moody, Mo., who joined CFI in 2000.
Winners are automatically nominated for the 2002 year-end award in their respective category.

Over Hill, Over Dale . . .
Minty’s Moving of Onanole, Manitoba, recently transported a 95-foot tall, 800,000-pound grain elevator from Lipton, Saskatchewan to Markinch. The 25-mile journey took a day and a half. The 57-year-old company specializes in really big moves, but this wooden structure was the biggest move to date, according to owner Harold Minty. The company used a special 128-wheel, self-leveling dolly system for the top-heavy load. A 1992 Kenworth T800 high hood, with a 425-horsepower Caterpillar and an 8-speed “double-under” transmission with a 4-speed auxiliary, provided power in the front, while a 1980 W900 with a 450-horsepower Caterpillar and a 1969 W900 with a 290-horsepower engine pushed from the back. The two W900s use a 5-speed with a 4-speed auxiliary.